Meriaura expands into a new vessel segment

Meriaura Ltd. has signed a long-term contract with Aalto Shipping Company Ltd of time chartering dry cargo vessel ’Airisto’. M/V Airisto’s capacity is 8700 tonnes and 12700 cubic meters. She is significantly larger than the vessels operated by Meriaura until now.

Because of her large cubic
capacity, the ship is suitable especially for large volume bulk cargoes, such
as various biofuels, wood and sawn timber. The ship has two separate cargo
holds and partial tween decks that allow transporting of part cargoes and
project cargoes.

"With this vessel type we
respond to customer needs and to changing material flows in the Baltic Sea.
Carrying products of bio and circular economy has always been part of the core
business of our company. Now we are able to carry larger cargo quantities,”
says Beppe Rosin, Vice Managing Director of Meriaura Ltd. The long-term time
charter arrangement complies with the strategy of Meriaura Group. The strategy
is based on a mix of owned tonnage and long-term time charter contracts.
“Expanding our fleet is a clear target. We are continuously looking for
potential candidates for purchase or time charter, also the in size of M/V
Airisto”, comments Beppe Rosin.

MV Airisto will be delivered to
Meriaura at end of September after her docking is completed in Tallinn. The 1A
ice classed vessel will fly the Finnish flag and have Finnish deck officers
that are familiar with the northern conditions. The vessel’s main traffic areas
are the Baltic and North Sea.

After M/V Airisto has joined the
Meriaura fleet, the bulk tonnage comprises of 15 vessels and expands into 69000
tonnes dwt. In addition, the group owns
and operates two deck carriers and one roro-vessel.